For Sale by Owner

Some sellers try to sell their home on their own, and this is referred to as “For Sale By Owner”, or FSBO for short. Some sellers have success with this, and others have very little.

From A Seller’s Standpoint

Marketing is just one of the benefits of using a REALTOR®. Using a REALTOR® gives your property more exposure than you could ever get on your own. We utilize the internet through our own personal websites as well as MLS®, one of the most frequently hit websites in the world. Most agents also use other forms of marketing such as the REALTOR® Showcase, take advantage of the opportunity to hold open houses, and do in-house marketing with other agents.

The other great advantage when you are selling your home is having a professional to guide you in pricing your home. The general public knows what a home is listed for, but it is harder to know what a house actually sells for. You may be leaving money on the table by not using a professional. Sure you save in not having to pay commissions, but the hassle and the possibility of not getting the most you can for your home in the current market should balance out and make using a Real Estate Agent a no-brainer.

REALTORS® have the advantage of weekly meetings and can preview new listings during these meeting so that each agent in attendance of the meeting can preview your home. This is an advantage to get your home instant exposure and is a great way to have your home showcased to other agents in our company.

Branding is also a key component, and using a REALTOR® gets you attention.

From A Buyer’s Standpoint

As a buyer, if you see a property that has a sign in the window, in the newspaper, or online that is being sold by its owner, do not hesitate to ask us about the house. We have the ability to do additional research on the house for you, as well as contact the seller on your behalf and negotiate the terms for you. We can work our commissions into the price so that we are compensated for our work with you on all houses previously shown, and it will not make much of a difference on your payments. Commissions will need to be discussed on a case by case basis.

With a market as busy as our real estate market, there are a lot of “For Sale By Owner” homes on the market. As a buyer you need to be aware of potential risks with buying privately. From a buyer/seller perspective, you as the buyer are the one taking all of the risk in the deal. By working with a REALTOR® you are protected, as all of our forms are legal and we make all sellers fill out and sign a Property Condition Disclosure Statement which gives you ALL the information they are aware of; if it doesn’t, you are protected under the contract, and your lawyer has the ability to fight on your behalf. If a vendor refuses to sign this form, there may be a reasonable explanation (ie: revenue property, therefore they don’t know as much about it). We, as agents, will do research on the property, as research is essential.

So, beware of For Sale By Owner homes. As buyers and as sellers you are not professionals, so why not use our experience and resources to do the job for you? It IS the largest investment of your lives. Would you use someone other than a professional to fix your car, perform surgery, etc?

We can help you with financing options, help you locate potential properties, provide you with objective information about the property and the area in which it is located, negotiate on your behalf with things such as price, financing, inclusion/exclusion of repairs, furnishing, fixtures, etc., and all of the final closing procedures such as communicating with the lenders, lawyers, vendors, and so on.

Testimonials

Gerry Fraser of the Fraser Partridge Group in Kelowna worked extremely hard on my behalf to successfully fulfill my wishes to purchase my dream home in Gallagher’s Canyon, Kelowna. He did whatever it took to make this a smooth and positive transaction right from the beginning to my possession day. I contacted him when I saw the listing in May and he made himself available to show my home to a friend who encouraged me to pursue the purchase. I was able to submit an offer and it was certainly…

We just wanted to say a BIG Thank you to you for your support of the garage sale, for organizing the Salvation Army pick up & for your continued support of the initiatives in our community. You help to make our community a great place to live in! Thank you,

Liz & Mark – Gallaghers Residents 2014

In our opinion Gerry Fraser is a super salesman. We were impressed with his enthusiasm, warmth, and helpfulness. He was always positive, willing, and excited about the job. Nothing was too much trouble and we would be pleased to recommend him to our friends.

Chuck & Beryl Hopkins – Kelowna, BC 2014

Thank you so sincerely. It has been an absolute pleasure working with you. I am so thankful that you went out on a limb and introduced this house to us. It is more than a house. It truly feels like a home. I have bought and sold many homes but this truly felt like my first home purchase.

Karen N. - Kelowna, BC - 2015

I wish everyone was as great at responding to TB showing requests as your group! Awesome to work with.

Brenda Ellis - Sutton Group Lakefront Realty 2014

Gerry, Thank you once again for being my number one supportee in the Gallaghers Residents Pinnacle Golf Tournament to help raise funds for The MS Society of Canada. Your generous donations are very much appreciated.
Henri Fontaine – September 2016

With many thanks Gerry for all your efforts in finding us a house at Gallaghers Canyon. You were amazing! It was a pleasure to work with you. We appreciated your recommendations on everything from a doctor to where to buy the best meat in Kelowna.
March 2016

May & Brian

We wish to express our sincere gratitude to George Patridge for his expertise and knowledge of the purchase of our retirement home in Gallaghers Canyon.
At a chance meeting with George at an open house,we knew that he was the right person for finding us our retirement home. He took the time to get to know
our wants and needs knowing that we were not going to be purchasing anytime soon.Patiently for many months he helped us with all our questions and concerns
with narrowing down our choices.…

Having been transferred from out of province, and being completely unfamiliar with Kelowna and its various areas, we were so fortunate to have George Patridge recommended to us! From our first conversation, I knew that George would be the right person for us to work with in finding our new home. He took the time to get to know us, and our wants and needs in a home and neighbourhood. He worked with us patiently for many months to narrow down our choices before our buying trip of just 1 week…

Pat & Tanya - March 2015

I can’t thank you enough Jo for all you have done for us and the information you share. You are amazing and YOU made this comfortable. Thank you very, very much. Maggie Ringrose & Les Granholm